The Tangled Web
by konoha-kelly
Summary: Sasuke returns to Konoha after Naruto, Kakashi and Sakura go on a mission to retrieve him. To his disgust and jealousy, Naruto had gotten himself a girlfriend before the mission. How will his first relationship turn out? Read to find out more.


**The Tangled Web **

**Disclaimer**

This story starts from after the timeskip during the Nartuo: Shippuden timeline. I do not own any Naruto characters, as much as I would like to, apart from Kimiko.

**Hi and thank you for clicking on my story. It's my first Naruto story and I hope that you, the audience will find it entertaining. The plot line is based on and adapted from an RP I'm doing with a friend. **

**Now, the Naruto timeline is disrupted – I do not mention Sai whatsoever mainly because I, or rather we, have yet to see or read anything about him. Heh. Sasuke's return has also been altered, for the fangirls who are aware of the actual story line. There is also the addition of Kimiko Matsumoto (Original Character), who brings the conflict, drama, and angst, within the Naruto universe. **

**As for pairings, there will be lots and they are diversified between hetero and yaoi: **

**Naruto x Kimiko (OC) **

**Sasuke x Naruto (One-sided) **

**Konohamaru x Kimiko **

**Sasuke x Sakura (One-sided)**

**Kakashi x Iruka**

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Chapter 1: Old Friends

It was a beautiful day in the Village Hidden in the leaves, also known as Konohagakure. Naruto had been away training with the perverted Icha Icha author and sannin, Jiraiya, and had now returned to his home. It had not been long since his old friends had welcomed him back, especially a pink haired kunoichi named Sakura Haruno. She had missed him the most, it seemed. After Sasuke had betrayed the village and left, she and Naruto's friendship had grown closer, despite him being away for two and a half years.

Today was different to the blonde shinobi, as everyone seemed to be busy doing things. Kakashi-sensei was away on a mission and Sakura was busy working at the Konoha hospital, as a skilled medic-nin.

Naruto's blue eyes looked up at the matching sky, his hands folded behind his head as he walked around the town, bored and hoping to find something to do. He began to wander around the market, looking at each and every stall and shop as he passed them. It was then that something caught his attention and made his gaze intensify with interest. His sharp hearing heard the sounds of shouting coming from nearby. He broke into a jog but suddenly stopped.

A mass of spiky brown hair was sprinting towards him, dodging through the crowds of shoppers with ease due to his small stature. A Konoha headband adorned the boy's head as he skidded to a stop in front of the blonde, a trail of dust in his wake. The boy's dark eyes widened, and he broke into a grin. "Hey, boss! You're back!"

Naruto grinned widely. "Long time no see, Konohamaru. How you doing?"

But before the younger boy could answer him, another shout was heard above the cacophony of the shoppers.

"Konohamaru!"

The boy in question gave a small yelp and ran behind Naruto, forcing the older ninja to turn his head in surprise and look down at him. "What are you doing Kono-?"

"Konohamaru!" The voice sounded again and Naruto turned back from the young shinobi hiding behind him.

The voice had a feminine tone to it and indicated that the pursuer was obviously a girl. His blue eyes scanned the crowd, stopping on a tall man, carrying a bag of groceries. But it was not the man he was looking at but a petite young girl, no more than 12 years old. She had leapt over the man's head, using his shoulder to leap over him. The man dropped his shopping in surprise, before his face darkened in anger. "Oi! Watch where you're going, kid!"

The girl looked back over her shoulder and flashed him a peace sign with her fingers, her speed not faltering even after the landing. "Sorry!" The girl continued running until she stopped in front of the confused blonde ninja. "Come out, Konohamaru. Don't think you can hide behind Naruto the whole time." When she didn't get a reply, she reached around Naruto and dragged Konohamaru out from behind by the collar of his long blue scarf.

"Kimiko! Let go!" Konohamaru glared at her, trying to pull his scarf from her tight grasp, flinching when she raised her fist.

"I'm warning you….if you ever, and I mean ever, do that Sexy no Jutsu of me again, I will knock you into the ground. Got that?" Kimiko's chocolate brown eyes narrowed with a stare that clearly read, 'do-not-mess-with-me'.

"Ok, ok. I get it….." Konohamaru muttered and finally pulled his scarf. He turned round with a small grin as Naruto began to laugh.

"He did the Sexy no Jutsu on you? And of you? Now I can see why you're chasing him through the village." Naruto's azure eyes sparkled with his usual jollity.

"It's not funny." Kimiko narrowed her eyes at the two boys. She had known of Naruto for as long as Konohamaru, for she was a member of the Konohamaru Ninja Squad along with, Moegi and Udon. "He can do the jutsu as much as he wants, as long as it's not me that he's making into a naked girl."

Konohamaru sighed dejectedly. "I said I was sorry. What more do you want from me?" He folded his arms behind his head, copying Naruto's habit.

"So, you two are Genin now, huh?" Naruto chuckled at the two. They reminded him of how he and Sakura were around each other in the old days, when she'd bash him on the head for something he did or said that upset her.

"Yep. We sure are, boss." Konohamaru grinned proudly, touching the forehead protector on his head, the metal plate glinting in the bright sunlight of a warm day. "We just graduated after finally finishing lessons at the academy. Udon, Moegi and I are in the team and Ebisu is our sensei. Kimi here doesn't even have a sensei yet."

"Sure, rub it in why don't you?" Kimi muttered and smacked Konohamaru on the head, earning herself a glare from her friend. "I'll have a sensei when the Hokage can assign me into a group with some other genins. Maybe we'll even get Neji Hyuga as our sensei. He's a Jounin now."

Naruto made a face at the mention of a familiar name. He could have easily boasted that he had beaten Neji once before, but unlike the former genin he knew, who had turned chuunin he was still a genin. "He's a great ninja. He'd be a good sensei but he's not very talkative."

The children agreed, with consenting nods.

"Hey, if you don't have a sensei, how do you train?''

"Ebisu-sensei sometimes lets me join their training sessions when they don't have any missions. As I don't have a sensei yet, I haven't done any missions." Kimiko sighed, and stuffed her hands into the pockets of her black, baggy pants.

"That's good- I mean, training wise." Naruto smiled at the young girl. He realised he had grown taller, but wasn't sure how much until he saw the two new genins. Kimiko only came up to shoulder, and Konohamaru was the same, apart from his spiky hair making him look a lot taller than he actually was.

"Yeah, I guess so." Kimiko sighed. "I can't wait until I get my own team, though. I just hope I don't get someone that I don't get along with. I'd prefer friends for teammates."

"Speaking of teammates, we should go Kimi. I bet Udon and Moegi are wondering where we are. After all, you did chase me all the way from the training grounds to here." Konohamaru chirped, as if he had enjoyed the chase.

Kimi nodded. "You're right. Ebisu-sensei hasn't even arrived yet. If he gets there before us, we'll be in trouble." She pulled her hands from her pockets and smiled. "We'll see you around, Naruto." She bowed respectively and took off with her friend.

Naruto grinned and waved as Konohamaru and Kimiko ran off together back through the crowds to the training grounds, which Kimi had chased him from.

The blonde smiled.

He was glad to be back in Konoha.

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Yay. First chapter is over and done with, so please read and review. Flames and ideas welcome. I hope to update soon, so please be patient. Thank you for reading The Tangled Web.


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